Waterfront mansion destroyed by fire

A waterfront mansion in Post Falls was destroyed by fire this morning.
The home, located along the Spokane River at 1504 Plaza Drive, was fully engulfed when neighbors awoke this morning after hearing what they described as a series of explosions. Flames and smoke were visible from Interstate 90.
The 911 call for the fire at the corner of Plaza Drive and Handy Street came into Kootenai County’s dispatch center around 6:20 a.m., authorities said. Investigators still are on scene but have been unable to enter the house.
Kootenai County records show the home, owned by Leonard …

A waterfront mansion in Post Falls was destroyed by fire this morning.

The home, located along the Spokane River at 1504 Plaza Drive, was fully engulfed when neighbors awoke this morning after hearing what they described as a series of explosions. Flames and smoke were visible from Interstate 90.

The 911 call for the fire at the corner of Plaza Drive and Handy Street came into Kootenai County’s dispatch center around 6:20 a.m., authorities said. Investigators still are on scene but have been unable to enter the house.

Kootenai County records show the home, owned by Leonard and Pam Wallace, is assessed at $1.54 million.

No one was home at the time, Post Falls police say, because a malfunctioning dishwasher yesterday caused flooding in the house; in response, the homeowners shut off the home’s water supply. Because the home is heated by a radiant-heat system, shutting off the water also shut off the heat and the occupants — the Wallaces and their adult children — all went to different locations to stay the night, police say.

Post Falls police confirmed that officers were dispatched to the home Wednesday evening because of a “verbal altercation” between individuals at the house.

This morning, some neighbors in the waterfront subdivision said they were awakened by a series of explosions, then saw flames bursting out the mansion’s windows.

More information will be posted on this story as it develops.